DT 29643 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29643

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29643

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

The biannual clock adjustments have now been made so we are now on ‘Winter Blogging Time’.
This means that we get the puzzles and start working on them at 11.00am whereas it does not happen for us until 1.00pm during the summer. Either way, we still have plenty of time to put the blog together while most of you are fast asleep.

After the discussion on here last week we can be pretty certain that it is Jay back in the setter’s chair with his usual top quality puzzle to entertain us.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Save son caught parking on edge (6)
SCRIMP : S(on) then the cricket abbreviation for caught, an edge or lip, and the street sign indicating parking.

5a     Dashing family mostly involved in outbreak (6)
RAKISH : Remove the last letter from a three letter word for family and put this inside an outbreak that could possibly be measles.

10a    Pulls in listeners across north (5)
EARNS : The facial features referred to as listeners contain N(orth).

11a     Europeans ruined Paris and east of Calais (9)
SPANIARDS : An anagram (ruined) of PARIS AND, plus the final letter (east) of Calais.

12a     Tosses half of butter for main dish (7)
LOBSTER : Tosses or throws gently, then the second half of the word butter. (The main in the definition gives us the source of this dish.)

13a     Volunteers with only daughter having claws (7)
TALONED : Volunteer soldiers, a synonym for only and then D(aughter).

14a     Accept a rise and go away (4,1,4)
TAKE A HIKE : A double definition. This ‘go away’ is a slightly more polite version of ‘P*** off!’

17a     Heard result of injury, makes tea (5)
BREWS : A homophone of a word for the outcome of a contusive injury.

18a     Set my clues lacking any regular form (5)
STYLE : Alternate letters (lacking any regular) of the first three words.

19a     Gather English literature must be rejected as barren (9)
INFERTILE : Gather or understand something implied is followed by the reversal of E(nglish) and lit(erature).

21a     Where a presenter might have words having reported heavy traffic? (7)
AUTOCUE : A homophone (having reported) of what sounds like a motor vehicle line up.

23a     Panda car wrecked during police officer’s round (7)
BEARCAT : An anagram (wrecked) of CAR is inside the route walked by a Mr Plod.

25a     Food found by two men on board round back of larder (4,5)
KING PRAWN : We have two chess pieces. The second one containing the last letter of larder.

26a     Discover area covered by the French navy … (5)
LEARN : The French masculine definite article, then A(rea) and the Royal Navy.

27a     … and approve when posted (6)
ASSENT : A synonym for when and then posted or put in the mail.

28a     A measure of distress is terribly relative (6)
SISTER : A lurker (a measure of) hiding in the clue.

Down

2d     Language of answer found in copy (5)
CARIB : Copy or plagiarize contains A(nswer).

3d     Unable to get enough working at sea in it (9)
INSATIATE : An anagram (working) of AT SEA IN IT.

4d     Problem of Beethoven perhaps, sacking the first three (5)
POSER : Remove the first three letters from what Beethoven is a typical example of.

5d     So bereft — a disastrous meal (5,4)
ROAST BEEF : An anagram (disastrous) of SO BEREFT A.

6d     Crustaceans cook finally found on stream (5)
KRILL : The final letter of cook, then a very small brook.

7d     Fresh greens with meat pie oddly unavailable in conservation area (9)
SERENGETI : An anagram (fresh) of GREENS is followed by alternate letters (oddly unavailable) of meat pie.

8d     Plenty must support vacant zombie fanatic (6)
ZEALOT : The first and last letters (vacant) of zombie and a 1,3 phrase for plenty.

9d     A team’s unrelated remarks (6)
ASIDES : ‘A’ from the clue and sports team with the ‘S.

15d     Island group getting central points in arguments (9)
KEYSTONES : A small tropical island, then a familiar name for a sixties band.

16d     I can rave, supporting European traveller (9)
ITINERANT : ‘I’ from the clue, then ‘can’ as a metal container, E(uropean) and a synonym for rave.

17d      Pubs full of unusually clean stickers (9)
BARNACLES : An anagram (unusually) of CLEAN is inside drinking establishments.

18d     Son has no trousers (6)
SLACKS : S(on) plus ‘has no’ or ‘is short of’.

20d     Stretch script with no beginning and finish (6)
EXTEND : Remove the first letter from a script or even cell phone message, and then another word for finish.

22d    Group of trees manage to conceal skinhead? (5)
COPSE : The first letter of skin is inside a word meaning to manage or get by.

23d     Reward from bishop — our treat (5)
BONUS : The chess abbreviation for bishop and a 2,2 phrase meaning ‘we are paying’.

24d     Box car past its best (5)
CRATE : A double definition.

15d and 18a were our last two to get sorted and stretched our solving time considerably.

Quickie pun    forest    +    heart    =    for a start

82 comments on “DT 29643

  1. Another enjoyable Jay crossword – lots of favourites but the only thing I wrote by the clues on my sheet was an RD by 14a

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks

  2. An absorbing puzzle at **/**. 23a and 2d were new words for me but relatively easily guessed and there was a bit of head scratching for the not oft used 3d. 15d last one in and the culprit took me into ** time. Thanks to our illustrious setter and the 2 Kiwis for their hints.

  3. What a gem of a puzzle, a pleasure to solve and parse from start to finish, thought the wordplay was outstanding.
    Virtually every clue would have been worthy of a place on the podium bit I’ve gone for 17& 21a plus 22d….brilliant!
    2.5/5*
    Many thanks to Jay, if it was he, and our Kiwi bloggers for the top notch entertainment.

  4. A great Jay day again. Lovely clues everywhere but the SW corner held me up the longest. I forgot to use the “if all else fails look for a lurker” rule at 28a. Favourite clues today are 12a, 25a and 2d but COTD for me is 16d.

    Many thanks to Jay for the usual fun and to the 2 Kiwis for the hints, which I will now read

  5. A pleasant Jay crossword with a few awkwardly worded clues in the SW, which held me up a bit (3*/4*). The only thing I could think of for 21a was ‘ article’ so thanks to the Kiwis for the hints and setting me straight. I was thinking of the short word for articulated lorries for heavy traffic. Amazing how it’s so easy to go off at a tangent. I liked 25a and 16a best out of today’s clues. Thanks to Jay.

    1. I did the same but knew it wasn’t right so use e-help word search. A pity as I solved all without help except for that. Rats.

  6. A very tasty puzzle. Meat and two shellfish saw me through to the end with a nice cup of tea. Thanks to Jay and to the 2Ks

  7. 2*/4.5*. This was great fun. My only real struggle was with 21a, my last one in and favourite, for which I couldn’t see beyond “article” as the only possible answer based on the checking letters. 23a also deserves a special mention.

    Many thanks presumably to Jay, and also to the 2Ks.

  8. For once completely baffled with a Jay puzzle! This is a case of putting it down and looking at it later, hopefully with more success.
    Thanks in advance to the 2Ks and possibly Jay.

  9. Another timely completion, all over in */** time. I didn’t know the language at 2d, and took far too long trying to get ‘Artic’ into 21a.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2 Ks.

  10. All seemed to enjoy this puzzle and I concur, nothing obscure just excellent diverse cluing throughout and a **/****,
    last in was 14a, the synonym for rise took a while and then I wasn’t sure !
    Favourite was 21a with a special mention for the surface of 23a-top draw.
    Thanks to setter and 2K’s for the 23 pic-avoided my confusion for the other Panda,

  11. I am pretty confident that this Wednesday’s puzzle is indeed by Jay, having been told that last week’s was by our esteemed editor. Of many excellent clues, I thought 23a was outstanding. The whole puzzle was a delight to solve.

    My thanks to the three birds.

  12. Lovely puzzle today – some head scratchers, some new knowledge in 2d and 23a, and a fail at 21a. LOI was 24d where I had to go through the alphabet before the penny dropped.
    My favourites were 25a, 7d and 17d.
    Thanks to the setter and the Kiwis.

  13. A very enjoyable Jay puzzle. 15d, my last one in, gave me the only real pause for thought. I’m still unconvinced by the “arguments” part. The answer could be the most important components of many things, i.e. buildings, speeches etc. **/**** Favourite 17d. Thanks to all.

    1. I agree with you about 15d, Greta. The word has a wide range of applications and ‘arguments’ comes a long way down the list.

  14. Excellent stuff from Jay again! Having had a couple of days away it was great to return with a challenging fun puzzle that, once I got going, I rattled through to a satisfying early completion. Thought 18A was clever and enjoyed 21A & 7D but special mention must go to the 2Kiwis for the hint to 14A 😜
    Thanks Jay and 2Kiwis – brilliant!
    Cheers!

  15. Agree with the 2Ks about last clues in, 15d and 18a. Obvious now! Great crossword, lovely wordplay and ‘aha’ moments, **/*** . Thanks to J, 2Ks and all bloggers.

  16. This was good fun and nothing too tricky. Hadn’t heard that word for a panda but was easy to work out. I spent ages looking at 21a, like others wanting to put article in but I knew that was wrong. Then the lovely penny-drop moment. I once stood quite close to Michael Aspel at the Antiques Roadshow at Holkham. He was completely hopeless reading the autocue and had to do take after take. How difficulty can it be especially on a 6 figures salary! Thanks to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

    1. Maybe the text on the autocue wasn’t grammatically correct or even punctuated properly. You do see some news anchors struggle if something has just come in and they have to read it from scratch off a sheet of paper. There have been a couple of spelling howlers in the DT lately. Doesn’t anyone proof read anymore?

      1. My pet howler in the DT is when the word ‘cannons’ is used when there is more than one cannon. I was taught that the plural of cannon is cannon? Reference ‘First Aid in English’ c. 1959.

  17. A really meaty puzzle today. I had a lot of problems mostly in the SW corner. Found it difficult to parse18A, 21A and15D.
    Thanks for the explanations.
    Now for the toughie.

  18. Must be getting the Jay wavelength as I didn’t have my usual trouble. Completed in ** time. Perhaps fortunate the right word for 21a came to mind immediately.
    It is quite clever & gets COTD for me.
    Having spent part of my working life in South Yorkshire tea is mashed not brewed, which ruins 17a.
    Thanks to Jay & the 2Ks.

    1. It’s the same in Leicestershire and lots of other places too. Beer is brewed and mashing is part of the brewing process, in fact an infusion into hot water of the ingredients, just the same as making tea. Thanks for saving me to have to comment on it myself. Oh! I just did.

  19. A supreme puzzle from the Wiz of Weds. Like Burlington Bertie above, I struggled with 15d until I had a “Ah! Of course!” moment.

    Little Lola goes back to the vet tomorrow afternoon, where one of the key questions will be ‘may she go outdoors?’ (even though she shows no interest in doing so!).
    Otherwise the day is set towards 8pm when Chelsea play Porto in a Champions League quarter final. Can they bounce back after the bizarre defeat at the weekend against the plucky ‘Throstles’ of West Bromwich, or will the curse of Big Sam follow them to the Continent?

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Paul Simon – Paul Simon

    Thanks to Jay ‘n’ the 2Ks.

  20. That huge thud was my head hitting the table as I saw what was going on with the two men in 25a. Loved it.

  21. ‘Normal service’ appears to have been restored! Although, this was definitely at the ‘tricky’ end of the Jay spectrum with quite a large Hmm on 15d. ***/****.
    Favourite a toss-up between 25a and 16d – and the winner is 16d, which looked like it might be an anagram but wasn’t.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  22. Thoroughly enjoyed this and breezed through it – which is a first for me with a Jay puzzle.

    Just one thing – is Panda a correct definition for 23a?

    1. Technically, it’s the name of the Red Panda, Magichatuk. I think what we all think of as the black and white Panda is, actually, a Great Panda.

    2. Not really as it’s more than a little archaic. It seems to be known as a binturong, which is new to me too. But even so it was doable with every other letter!

  23. I think last week I complimented Jay, by mistake, for setting a puzzle that was on my wavelength. It was Chris Lancaster it seems whose puzzles are very good. But if it is indeed Jay this week then for once I was on his wavelength and where I wasn’t the checkers adjusted my aerial.

    I enjoyed this after getting over the Wednesday trepidation. I liked 19 and 28a, but my favourite was the delightful simplicity of 23d.

    Many thanks to the 2Ks and Jay.

  24. Thanks to those of you who responded to my note about my pacemaker. LROK we passed Etton on our way back into North Yorkshire where I should by rights be in the York Trust area. When I first was rushed to Scarborough Hospital in 2007 they weren’t equipped to deal with serious hospital cases and I had to wait for a place at either James Cook or Hull Royal. The consultant at Scarborough recommended one of the Hull consultants with whom he had been a junior and I haven’t had any problems since then except of course a limited ability to do strenuous work. But I still garden, laid a 17 slab footpath round what we call a summershed, and manage four large vegetable plots.

    It’s quite surprising really as the doctor who sent me straight to the Coronary Care ward in Scarborough in October 2007 said when I first made the half mile walk to our surgery in March 2008 – “Mike it’s good to see you. We hadn’t really expected to.”

    The NHS has already given me almost 14 extra years of life. What a wonderful credit they are to this country.

    1. I agree, Corky, the NHS really comes into its own when it comes to serious illness. I went into liver failure while camping in Brittany. Managed to drive home somehow, was sent to Birmingham Liver Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. They brought me back from the very brink of death and subsequently gave me a liver transplant. That was nearly 20 years ago and I have given thanks to the consultants and the NHS ever since. Being given a second chance is a wonderful experience, isn’t it?

      1. Thanks Steve. It’s good to hear your story and I think there must be many of us with similar stories having a second life and I hope making the most of it.

        1. I’m sure there are and, yes, they will be living life to the full. I went from “waiting for retirement” before the transplant to studying for a Masters Degree and becoming the Endodontic Officer for North Wales Community Dental Service after it. The transplant certainly gave me not only an extension of life but a completely new, active and satisfactory one.

  25. Agree with all of the complimentary remarks to date . Another set of great clues from Jay with 21A my pick of the bunch.
    Perhaps I’m wrong but appears , from the 2Ks excellent comments , that NZ makes a 2 hour adjustment between Summer & Winter times unlike 1 hour in the UK . Many fellow Summer bowlers , golfers etc would love the chance to have longer evenings . Greens opening soon !

    1. We only make a one hour time adjustment. The fact that UK summer time and NZ daylight saving time move in opposite directions means that the difference between the zones is usually two hours. You’ve just moved your clocks forward, we’ve just moved ours back. Hope that makes sense.

      1. Thanks for explaining.
        I doubted that the change would be 2 hours although such a move has been suggested in the UK to get longer usable evenings in Southern regions . It was not adopted allegedly due to objections from farmers but the logic escapes me . The UK & NZ are far longer than wider so both North & South regions experience big differences in daylight hours .
        Incidentally, we visited NZ several years ago . Loved it , favourite holiday destination.

  26. I usually find Jay a bit of a humourless slog so was delighted with 14a. Like others, I’m not very happy with 15d. COTD has to be 21a. Now to return to the Toughie which is proving a real challenge.

  27. Great story Corky. Sounds the old fashioned GP that seem to be a dying breed these days

    It seems there are many of us that continue to enjoy happy and active lives thanks to the NHS. As you say a credit.
    Sorry thought this was going as a reply to Corky’s post #25 above

  28. Add me to those who thought the 15d tenuous/stretched/iffy/worthy of a Senfian Hmm. Otherwise a fast solve in about the same time as yesterday but somehow it was way more enjoyable . Among the customary fine selection of Wednesday clues 21&25a vied for COTD.
    Thanks to Jay & to the 2Ks.

  29. That was really enjoyable. SW presented biggest challenge particularly 14a which is a new one on me. 25a and 5d are rather unspecific. 18a was a bung-in – d’oh! 21a definitely Fav. Thank you Jay and 2Kiwis.

  30. Surprisingly for a Jay puzzle I really liked this one. My fav was definitely 25a. Thx to the Kiwis for explaining 22d, the answer was obvious, the wordplay less so.
    Apologies for being late on parade but I had to do it in two sittings due to an appointment with an expensive tooth puller.
    Thx to all
    ***/****

  31. I quite often struggle with 2, and sometimes 1, star difficulties – but this was very nearly read and write. It obviously just clicked.

    15d was also my last in. It and 22d were my COTD

    Thanks to Jay and the two Ks

  32. Another most enjoyable puzzle from Mr Wednesday, the last few answers of which were filled in during my obligatory 15mns wait in the surgery car park following round two of the vaccine shots. Now waiting in slight trepidation for the side effects to kick in and vaguely wondering how one would actually know if a blood clot appears.
    Had the same doubts as others about 15d and think my favourite was probably 16d.

    Thanks to Jay and to our birds from foreign shores for the review.

    1. If 30 people out of the 18,000,000 over 60 year olds vaccinated in the UK had blood clots as published, I make the odds of having one about 1.6 in a 1,000,000, Jane. That’s better than the odds of getting a blood clot after taking the contraceptive pill, which didn’t worry most women of my generation. That puts it in perspective.

        1. There is a Wikipedia entry on Cerebral Venus Sinus Thrombosis which gives symptoms. I didn’t find anything on the other problem, the low platelet levels that have been mentioned im addition as another side effect.

      1. Exactly. A wise doctor told me years ago that patients in a control group are asked to write down everything that happens to them after taking a particular pill or injection. So those side effects may or may not be related. If they catch a cold, have an upset stomach or walk in front of a bus, it is all listed as a possible side effect.

        1. I think there was an article on this subject in the telegraph this week. Not that I’m planning on having the vaccination any time soon myself.

  33. A fine puzzle as always. I filled in 80% on the iPad web page whist waiting to be discharged and found that all my answers had disappeared when I got home!

    So back to paper & pen and all came together nicely.

    Thanks Jay and 2Ks

      1. Glad to hear you’re back home SW. You’ll be eating better and orobably sleeping better, if my last spell in hospital isanything to go by!

        1. I’ve eaten (dropped off a few minutes later, oh what luxury) but now awake again for Toughie. Yes, good to be out of there and back in familiar surroundings.

          Thanks all.

    1. I too have had the disappearing answers problem when leaving the app and then going back in. This happened on the 7th, yesterday, and today. I have sent a help request to technical support. Did you get a fix for this?

  34. Totally agree with NAS comment above, that this was an “absorbing” puzzle from Jay, and have to add very enjoyable. His clues are always fair and reasonable, and the plus is that I learnt two new words today, 2d and 23a. They just had to be from the information given, but I did do a quick Google to confirm. Last in was 21a as that didn’t spring to mind at all. A great Wednesday puzzle from the master. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis.

  35. Another most enjoyable Wednesday puzzle all completed in good order except that I had entered article. Reading Two Kiwis put me straight – of course! I didn’t know the baby bear but it was guessable as was 15d having racked my brains for something like Galapagos. I liked 12a and 25a and several others. Glad to hear sick people are home and treatments seem to be working. Manders bruises starting to fade ? and Lola happy. Still bitingly cold but we have sun. Many thanks to setter and hinters.

  36. A fun puzzle for this Wednesday. Thought it may have been a pangram but it was not to be.
    2.5*/***** with some well crafted clues. Favourites were 12a, 14a, 21a, 25a, 16d & 17d with co-winners 14a /25a
    2d was a new word for me and didn’t know the word in 23a was a synonym for the definition. Learnt something today.
    Very enjoyable for a dull and rainy Wednesday.

    Thanks to the 3 birds for puzzle and hints

  37. Rattled through. Slightly surprised by 15d, where cornerstone might be more typically associated with the definition. Thanks to the 2Ks and today’s setter.

  38. Thanks to Jay and to the 2 Kiwis for the review and hints. Great stuff from Jay as usual. I was beaten by 18&21a, and also needed the hints to parse 15d. Favourite was 25a. Was 3* / 4* for me.

  39. Well, it’s Jay, innit, natch I loved it. All solved without help except for 21a. I needed the Kiwis to unravel 24d, just didn’t see that. It’s rare for me to have solved the puzzle and read the comments before midday, but here I am commenting a pip before noon.
    Thanks to Jay for the fun, my fave, and to the 2Kiwis for the hints and tips.

  40. For me this was harder than the usual Jay and I needed a couple of hints, maybe I am distracted at the thought of another stay at home order in southern Ontario which is almost certainly coming . Once again I forgot the chess connection to board, so 25a definitely COTD. Thanks to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

  41. Smooth solve until I hit a brick wall in 15d and 21a. Specially as I thought keys was the island group in the former.
    Needed the hints to finish.
    Thanks to Jay and to 2 kiwis for the help.

  42. Judging by the many comments most found this as pleasant as I did – I thought I had made a meal of it and realise now it was Jays clever clueing and misdirection.

  43. 15d and 16d held me up today, and sadly I fell into the same trap as some others, and put article into 21a. I really enjoyed the challenge this crossword gave. I have no idea how long it took me. It’s been one of those days. A delivery of kitchen roll, then fruit and veg, then supermarket delivery followed by the postman and several phone calls. I feel as though it has taken me all day. Thank you setter and Mr Kitty.

  44. The usual lovely Jay Wednesday, the usual lovely K’s hints and, as usual for me at the moment, a bit late to add anything as it’s all been said.
    My only problem really was being totally blinded by the 21a ‘article’ even though it couldn’t have been right.
    My favourite was 14a.
    Thanks to Jay and to the 2K’s.

  45. This was a proper read and write, which I do find a little disappointing, but realise that many, especially those starting to do cryptic crosswords, appreciate. 15d favourite, LOI 24d
    Thanks J, K+K
    Looking forward to some brain strain now!

  46. Morning all.
    We had no doubts at all that we had our regular setter back when we were solving this. Excellent Wednesday fun once again.
    Cheers.

  47. Well I really enjoyed today’s puzzle though I had to break off a couple of times for the obligatory dog walk and supermarket jaunt. I’m sure the fresh-air refreshed the little grey cells! Last one in 2d as had to check there was such a language and not just ‘bung it in’. Many thanks to the setter and the 2 Kiwis.

  48. Excellent, as usual.
    16d caused a problem as I spent ages trying to make an anagram out of some combination of letters.
    I enjoyed the two chess pieces.
    Thanks Jay and 2xK

  49. I’m in the “hooray eventually I’m on the same wavelength as Jay” camp this evening. I spent far too long trying to parse 15d before the penny dropped, one of my favourite bands too, flat of the hand on the forehead and therefore my favourite. My usual late start and finish for a Wednesday. Many thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  50. Late on parade in Brisbane but I’m enjoying reading the comments over my morning coffee. I suspect the Two Kiwis will be in the garden. I thought 29,643 was an excellent offering. I had a busy day yesterday and I didn’t start till about 1700 my time, but it definitely made me hungry. I enjoyed the food theme. Today’s will be out in just over an hour here too. Thanks 2Ks and J🦇

  51. I enjoyed today’s cryptic crossword, set at just the right level for me to complete before falling asleep.
    As a regular visitor to this excellent site, may I ask why Thursday’s cryptic crosswords always seem the most difficult of the week to solve?
    Is this a generally held perception…or (as they say) is it just me?
    Thanks, everyone, for your entertaining and educational comments.

    1. If you are actually commenting on today’s (Thursday’s) crossword, you will need to comment again when Miffypop’s blog is published at 11am, rather than on the blog for Wednesday’s crossword

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